I needed a new jiuta (music style) yubikake for playing the shamisen and was at a loss trying to find a pattern online. The one I was using before was falling apart and a bit too loose, so I came up with a pattern which could fit my small hand yet also be stretchy.

To make a tsugaru-style yubikake, you probably just need to cast on some stitches where you would begin the i-cord and knit in the round for a few rows.

Before starting the pattern, please make sure you are familiar with Jeny Staiman’s Surprisingly Stretchy (Slip Knot) Cast-On and Surprisingly Stretchy Cast-Off. Techniques used in this pattern are:

Slip Knot CO
Surprisingly Stretchy BO
k1, p1 ribbing
Regular k BO and p BO
i-cord

Any fingering weight yarn can be used. A woolen yarn is probably better suited though.

The yubikake is knit from the thumb to the index finger.